Chapter 16
I hope everyone has adjusted into the new year.
In the dead of the night, a village was being rampaged by a horde of demons. They may have lacked the strength of the 12 moons, but the numbers were more than enough to infiltrate with little resistance. Without any way of slaying the demons, the humans could either try to fight back or run deeper into the forest. For those who chose the latter, at least one demon was sent to hunt down the defectors.
In this case, two demons chased after a young woman who took her chances running deeper in the forest. Despite her best efforts, the woman tripped on a tree root and collapsed. She lifted herself up as fast as she could, but the demons caught up with her. They cornered her to a nearby tree and the villager screamed for help, curled into a fetus position. While she had accepted her demise, fate said otherwise.
One of the demons sensed another human nearby but couldn't react in time, resulted in its fall.
"Insect Breathing, 3rd form: Dragonfly Dance- Compound Eyes Hexagon!"
Each and every thrust was aimed at vital spots such as the lungs and kidneys. The second demon growled and got into a defensive stance. However, the swordsman was unfazed and leaped backwards as he planted his feet on the floor, ready to launch forward. In doing so, he sprinted in a zig zag formation.
"Insect Breathing, 4th form: Centipede Dance- Hundred-Legged Zigzag!"
Within seconds, the demon slayer closed the gap between him and his opponent. Striking his swords into an X shape, overwhelming its defense and stabbed the demon simultaneously. The last demon shrieked and tried to scratch the human but the swordsman avoided the attack by hurling himself backwards. It took him out of the demon's radius, only to land flat on his back.
"Ow."
"Ara Ara. This village has suffered enough. They don't have time to raise a child." Shinobu teased. The Insect hashira approached the village maiden and crouched to her level. Within moments, Shinobu examined the woman for injuries, followed by applying alcohol onto the knees. She finished with wrapping bandages onto her legs, prompted the villager to lean onto Yuki.
"I liked the effort. The woman giggled, causing the dull eyed boy to become flustered, embarrassed over his display.
"Please don't tell anyone about this" Yuki chuckled nervously as he lifted himself off the ground, grabbed hold of the villager's arm.
By the time Shinobu and Yuki returned to the village, several kakushi hastily put out the fires and tended the injured. Yuki looked around, dishearten to see most homes destroyed or filled with smoke. They were able to reunite the village girl with her family, who thanked them wholeheartedly. Tonight's mission was successful in terms of slaying demons after Kanao's report of her, Keiko, and Yume's efforts of tracking down the remaining monsters. After examining every villager over their injuries, Shinobu let out a sigh of relief and turned to the kakushi.
"Our work here is done. We'll leave the rest to you. Sayonara, Goto-san, Amaya-chan." She smiled warmly towards the lead kakushi, whom nodded and resumed delivering essentials to the village. All of the demon slayers walked alongside the Insect hashira.
"I'm proud of you all. You've all done an excellent work taking out those demons."
"Wait for me!" Yuki shouted, rubbing his back in an attempt to ease the pain as he rushed to regroup.
The month of November brought a shift to the weather for the worst. After a hearty breakfast, Yuki and Shinobu took a stroll within the woods.
"The weather sure got cold really quick, right miss Shinobu?" Yuki said, trembling as he folded his arms on his chest.
"Indeed. Yet, we must be thankful to have a roof and food above our heads. We must pray for those who are struggling this time of year." Shinobu explained. Yuki nodded. The coldness seeping onto his skin brought back unpleasant memories.
"We're here." The Insect Hashira's voice dropped as she went up to a giant boulder The former heir gawked at the sheer size of the it.
"Subachi kun, you've done well these past two years. You've put up with my teaching methods, completed every task, and above all, you've given nothing less than your best effort in perfecting all my techniques. Insect Breathing is arguably the hardest style to master since it revolves killing demons without beheading them. Take pride in the fact you are the first boy to have ever mastered Insect Breathing. However, there is still one more task in order to prove your worth. After conversing with the former water hashira, he gave me a brilliant idea to prove your readiness. For your final trial, you must pierce a hole straight through this very boulder." The Insect Hashira explained, her back facing him as she closed her eyes, listening to the gust of chilly winds.
"You're serious. I have to pierce through this boulder? It's bigger than me!" Yuki exclaimed.
"I know." Shinobu said, her face devoid of any emotions.
"What if I can't complete the task? Am I going to be asked to stay out here during my trial? All alone during a blizzard?!" Yuki's raised his voice with each passing question.
"Calm down." The Insect hashira urged him, craning her neck upwards.
Yuki kneeled crouched onto the ground to meet her at eye level. He was trembling from both the cold and from guilt.
"You are okay. There's nothing to worry about. Tell me why you are crying?" She spoke softly. The petite woman cupped her hands onto her student's cheeks and wiped his tears.
"I'm sorry. It's just… the night you took me in… was the same night my mother forgone me. I-I failed in keeping my estate safe. Only one servant survived. I lost everything in the span of a week." He choked with each sentence.
"Breath. Calm down." Shinobu instructed her student to comply. "Listen to me, you will complete this trial without a doubt. From morning to sunset, apply what you learned to pierce through this boulder. Take as long as you need.
"I'm sorry. I didn't make the best first impression and I lashed out when you tried comforting me that night." His tears continued running down.
"No, no. Let's not dwell on the past. We were complete strangers then. Look how close we've become since." Shinobu remarked.
"Thank you. Feeling much better now." He spoke softly.
"Good. Once you complete this trial, report to my crow at once." She replied.
She whistled for all to hear. Within seconds, her crow flew in to land on her shoulder. "My crow will visit you every day so you won't feel lonely out here. If you break your sword or if you want to write us a letter, you may do so at any time. Good luck." The Insect hashira stood up and disappeared in a blink of the eye.
Yuki looked around, hoping to feel her presence lingering. His expression dropped once he realized he was truly alone in the woods. The dull eye boy shuddered over the chilly breeze breathing onto him. He pulled out his pocket watch to read the time: 8 am. He smiled, assured of the support from the people in his life. In order to become an improved version of himself, the task before must be fulfilled not just for the people close to him, but for his self-esteem.
Attuning his senses back to reality, the Insect pillar's student concluded his silent prayer and rose from the ground. It had been some time since he attended his father's sermons, which was a means to teach their community English and share the word of God. Despite the majority of the population were Buddhists, people showed attended the sermons for a time. Showing respect to a man who despite being a foreigner, took part of the foundation of their town. Namely, the telecommunications along with setting up running water and electricity. On the other hand, Yuki's mother, despite born and raised a Buddhist, did not enforce her beliefs onto her children. The first time he truly practiced Buddhism was during the third trial, in the cave.
"May everyone have a blessed day and good fortune, no matter our differences. Amen." He spoke wistfully to the wind.
Once Yuki pondered and jotted down bullet points, the dull eye student found a sturdy branch capable of holding his weight.
"…27…28…29…30" He groaned while dropping onto the floor. The crunching of the leaves was about the only sounds audible within the immediate radius, save for occasional chirping and one's own heavy breathing.
"Not bad for my first-time doing pull ups. Onto the next exercise."
The next few hours consisted of the lanky teen conducting a series of workouts such as push-ups, squats, sit ups, and jogging while carrying logs, to name a few. By noon, he took a short break, followed up with his sword exercises. The former heir took this time to practice his drills of stabbing and thrusting for they are fundamental to insect breathing. Although Shinobu went over the basics of slashing, it was not enforced strictly since her nichirin sword was too flimsy to behead demons. Once the sword exercises had concluded, Yuki spent the remaining half hour to practice basic stretches such the splits and somersaults. Front flips weren't done consecutively but every one of them were successful. The same could not be said for back flips because every attempt resulted in falling on his back or face. Finally, by noon, he picked himself up from the ground and began to munch on his tempura shrimp and steamed rice, made by Aoi.
The dull eye boy ate in peace when a sparrow landed on top of his leg.
"Oh, hi little guy. Did you want some?" He placed a chunk of rice onto his palm and offered it to the bird. A sigh of relief was made once the bird arrived to his knee and began nibbling onto the rice.
"I'm glad you like it. Aoi-chan makes the best Japanese food in the world. Two years ago, I would only be eating Western food. Which I still love, but the women here expanded my palate. They even let me eat as much as I want." The former heir's smile withered when recalling the past.
At home, everyone was only allowed one plate with the same ration. This didn't become an issue until his growth spurt kicked in. In a short amount of time, signs of malnourishment were displayed on his body. Despite bearing an underweight body and constant fatigue, his mother refused to accommodate his portions due to her stance of maintaining an image. If caught snacking in the middle of the night, she would have him regurgitate by force.
"I don't miss those nights one bit. Good thing my sister never got caught. I hope she's doing okay." He smiled softly. The Chiba prefecture followed Tokyo's footsteps in becoming more industrialized, knowing his mother would make it her priority to make this a reality. The lanky student pulled out his pocket watch, an hour had since passed. Finishing the last of his rice and chugging a cup of water, Yuki nudged the bird gently off his leg and pulled himself up, prepared for a long afternoon.
The dull eye student picked up his swords to begin the process by stabbing the boulder. His weapons, being two of Shinobu's swords, precision and delicacy were required in order to complete this trial. By the time the clock read 3 pm, Yuki took a pause and tinker with Shinobu's swords. He wanted to get a better understanding behind the mechanism of her weapon since it was unique for spraying poison onto the enemy. The biggest discovery being an electric motor sitting in the middle inside the hilt. Several vials of poison were already inside and they may not be helpful in his current predicament, they remained intact for a future event. He prodded inside the hilt and noticed an air compressor at the bottom of the hilt. Yuki pressed the button on the opposite sword and heard wind wheezing out of the sword. By clicking a button between the guard and hilt, it was capable of ejecting poison at a fast rate. Additionally, the passage inside shinobu's sword was small enough for demons to overlook this katana's ability. He reassembled his master's sword as best as he could and practiced piercing the boulder swiftly yet delicately.
By sundown, Yuki was exhausted from his training and called it a day. In doing so, Shinobu's crow perked onto a branch just above him, informed him of Keiko entering the final selection, followed up with signaling him to retreat to the butterfly mansion, he complied to get a good night sleep and start the process all over again. However, he was not looking forward to explaining Shinobu how he may have broken one of her swords.
The third week of December arrived, heavy amount of snow covered the land and cementing nearby lakes and rivers completely frozen. There was no end to it falling from the sky, darkened by the clouds. Although the former heir was accustomed to the cold, the temperature at the moment was in single digits. A single haori would not suffice for the unforgiving weather across the land, leaving they dull eye boy no choice but to take shelter under a flimsy makeshift tent.
"Brrr. I should've stayed inside today. What do I do now?" He trembled. The wind mixed with the snow to a point the area was being surrounded with fog. Every breath taken was visible in the form of a cloud, apparent from huffing hot air onto the hands.
"Ara Ara, what might you be doing here, little bee?" A familiar voice uttered. The former opened his eyes and looked at the ground. After spotting her signature purple tabi socks and white butterfly patterned kayhan, his gaze tilted upwards until he saw the Insect hashira face to face.
"Miss Shinobu?" Yuki spoke faintly.
If you really wanted to see a winter wonderland that badly, you only had to ask. Preferably when you can see what's in front of you." Shinobu squatted to his level and gave a light smile. The petite doctor was dressed in her usual outfit, only difference was the scarf wrapped around her neck.
"Are you…real?" He asked with a hopeful tone.
"How about we put that to the test?" The wisteria doctor teased as she offered her hand in front of her student. Yuki mustered his strength to grab hold of her hand.
"Goodness, your hand is cold to the touch. Let's return at once" She stated.
"Thank you for carrying me in, Miss Shinobu" he replied warmly.
"It's not a bother. Plus, it was much easier carrying my dear student when he's curled up like a baby." She giggled.
"Hey, I'm not that weak and pathetic." The former noble pouted.
"In terms of cuteness, you share a striking resemblance. Especially when you pout." Shinobu declared.
"Meanie." He grumbled.
"There, there. Let's move on and enjoy the moment." "It's been a while since we got to spend quality time. You and Kanao are always off training by yourselves." The petite woman tilted her neck upwards.
"Yeah. This trial is the most difficult by far. No matter what I do, I can't seem to pierce through the boulder." He sighed with defeat.
"There's no need to being so impatient. As long as you keep a clear mind and maintain a calm composure, nothing is unattainable." The insect hashira responded cheerfully. Once she mellowed, Shinobu decided to rest her head against her student's shoulder.
"Miss Shinobu!" He exclaimed, flinching slightly.
"Do you find this uncomfortable?" The insect hashira expressed her concern.
"It's not that. It's just…I wanted to do the same." He spoke enviously.
"First come, first serve. So, the saying goes." She chuckled. Yuki raised his eyebrow and glanced down at her.
"Um, I know it's a bit late to be asking this, but how's your day been?" He asked politely.
"Glad you finally asked. It's been, stressful. My duties as a doctor have me constantly monitoring patients and attending to their needs. My girls have done a splendid job of looking after them in the first round of checkups. As hashira, I've dealt with my share of demons these past few months. I've been something of a mentor towards the newer hashiras, namely Iguro-san and Mitsuri-chan. Regardless of the predicament, my experience and expertise with poisons remain reliable." The Wisteria doctor explained wearily.
"That makes sense. You've been a hashira for a while, even before we met." The former noble replied. "How have the girls been?"
"They've been good. Sumi, Kiyo, and Naho are currently holding a pillow fight. It's cute seeing them make the most of their day off. Aoi-chan is finishing dusting the estate and then she can enjoy some free time as well. Kanao will be in charge of cooking today. If I recall, she is either finishing up her training or bathing. Last but not least, Yume is all but ready to partake in the final selection. It makes me happy when you ask not only my well-being, but my girls as well. Thank you, Subachi-kun." She smiled wholeheartedly.
"You're welcome. I'd be happy too if someone asked about my sister." He said aloud.
"It must be nice to have family to go back to." Shinobu responded with a faint melancholy tone.
"I'm so sorry. I miss my sister and all, but it was s-selfish of me to bring up siblings so c-casually. F-Forgive me." He stammered and began tensing up.
"No need to get worked up. It's only natural to miss family. Our sisters are not present at the moment, but their memories will never fade. Our love and dedication to our loved ones is our motivation. I bet they'd be cheering for us to push forward. You have nothing to worry about. I know your intentions were harmless and were for friendly banter. I'm not mad, I promise." Shinobu replied, letting out a yawn and slumped onto her student's arm.
"Yes, Miss Shinobu." He spoke softly, easing himself with steady breathes. He stared at the fireplace and leaned his head onto hers. The crackling of the wood as a result of the fire at large. The heat emitted was plenty for a group to gather around. The dazzling colors of yellow and orange, followed with its rhythmic dancing captivated the lone audience who in return used his free hand to prod the fire.
"What is the meaning of this, Gakusei-kun?" Kanao asked.
"Hi, Tsuyuri-chan. K-Kocho-sama insisted on sitting next to me while I warm up. She said to enjoy the moment." He said frantically to his senior. The sound of a coin tossing filled the void, waiting for a follow up.
"Explain to me why only one of you covered up? Does your pride as a former noble prevent you from being considerate towards others?" She demanded, her voice devoid of emotions
"N-No, it's not like that. By the time I wanted to share this blanket, Miss Shinobu fell asleep." He spoke softly. He winced and gazed onto Kanao's eyes. Her violet eyes were near impossible to read. The sharp gaze his senior returned was the only indication Yuki had to detect she wasn't pleased in catching him and Shinobu snuggled on the floor. The petite tsuguko turned her direction to her junior's yellow haori. She picked it up from the nearby chair, walked back to wrap the haori around the insect hashira.
"Master deserves to be warmed up too. Don't overthink this." Kanao expressed coldly. Yuki watched Shinobu's adopted sister walk out, returning his attention to the Wisteria doctor who remain in a deep slumber.
The Butterfly Mansion exterior looked no different than the other hashira's. The interior however, told a different story. The building was far larger than most due to its role as the main hospital. Anyone who needed medical attention were sent to recuperate in a timely manner. Among the best within the Demon Slayer corps, the Hashira are perceived as beacons of hope. Rescuing demon slayers at the nick of time and taking on any demons on sight, including lower moons. This group of elite swordsmen, revered for their strength and loyalty to the cause, earned the respect among ranked members and rewarded with unlimited money and an estate looking over their respective territory. Training under a hashira was seen as the highest honor. At the moment, a spar was being held between a mentor and student.
"Hyah!" The lanky student heaved his arm with all his might. His stature alone could strike fear onto his opponents. Each thrust thrown to his opponents could be felt by a strong force of wind, capable of pinning down an opponent of his choice. Unfortunately, his opponent was none other Insect hashira, Shinobu Kocho.
"Goodness, all that strength and you can't pin down a dainty woman like myself?" The wisteria doctor quipped. She side stepped her student's attack with ease. Her agility was displayed with how light her footsteps were. Every attack he threw her way, she effortlessly disappeared on sight and tapped his shoulder.
"Quit sneaking past me, Miss Shinobu!" He turned to her direction. He jabbed towards her with his right sword and blocked with his left.
"I must say, you don't leave yourself wide open anymore. That deserves praise." Shinobu said. She took half a step back and aimed her bokken at her student's chest. With only seconds to spare, Yuki leaned back and parried with his left sword, reverting his right for protection.
"Since you're so tiny, I can't afford to give you any openings." He stated bluntly. He tilted his sword and pierced downwards.
"Ara. Ara. Aren't we desperate to resort to tacky tactics?" The petite woman chuckled, slightly annoyed of his remark.
"I'm only being honest." He retorted, the dull eyed boy readied his right sword to strike his teacher's neck when she anticipated his move and parried it. After regaining his foothold, he searched frantically for his mentor, only to have found her too late. The way she kept herself afloat was breathtaking for anyone on-site, he blocked her attack but couldn't retract in time.
"I shall return the favor. Thank you for the opening." She said. As a result, Shinobu launched herself towards Yuki the second she landed on the ground. As a result, he felt a multitude of kicks pounding the bottom of his ribcage. Exhausted from the receiving end of his teacher's attacks, he looked down, staring at her katana, millimeters away from his neck. Caught between her sword and a wall, the match had come to an end.
"You win." The former heir conceded, sheathing his swords and slouched against the wall. His mentor withdrew her blade and crouched to his level.
"There, there. I know how much you wanted to defeat me. Prove your worth by going toe to toe against a hashira. There's still some room for improvement. But, I'm so proud of you, Subachi-kun. You kept up with me throughout this sparring. Keeping track of my movements, let alone countering them, without the use of our breathing techniques. That is nothing short of remarkable. Lift your head up and smile, for you're my best student." She explained.
"Technically speaking, I'm your only student since Kanao-chan doesn't use insect breathing." He smirked, followed with a chuckle.
"See, you look better when you smile, my little bumblebee." She joked, giving him a wink.
"I'm a hornet." He rolled his eyes. He offered his hand to Shinobu who in return, lifted him off the ground.
"Say I did call you my little hornet. It doesn't roll off the tongue as nicely. Wouldn't you say?" She smiled while clapping her hands together.
"Fair enough." Yuki grumbled, folding his arms and pouted. He then looked at his mentor.
"I must say, it's a bit weird seeing you without your haori, Miss Shinobu.
"Oh, whatever do you mean? "She gave out a smile, yet this time her eyes darkened slightly.
It's just, without your haori, you look even tinier than usual." He admitted
"It's only natural to preserve my most valued memorabilia. Wouldn't you agree?" Shinobu replied, maintaining her eerie smile.
"Of course. What I meant to say is without your haori, you come off more …approachable." The dull eye boy flustered.
"I see. That makes sense given demon slayers revere us hashira's as deities. The sentiment is appreciated, we're no different from any other human. The petite woman sighed.
"As someone born into an influential family. I know what you mean." He assured her.
"It's a relief to engage in conversation with someone who isn't walking on eggshells." Shinobu regained her smiled.
"Same. It would be awkward for us since you're my best friend." He smiled brightly. Unaware of the rose tint he caused to the insect hashira's face.
"Um, thank you. You're too sweet. Before we go out, might I ask how's your trial been?" She asked.
"I'm not going to lie, it's been difficult. I still can't pierce the boulder no matter what I do." Yuki complained.
"Did you see your mother wear jewelry while you grew up?" The wisteria doctor questioned.
"She did. She had a collection of the finest gems. Why do you ask?" He tilts his head in confusion.
"As you know, diamonds for instance are made from pure carbon. I don't know if you've seen them in their raw form, but they look nothing like you'd find from any merchant. Yet, at the right angle, anyone can drill a diamond with precision and steady pressure. Too much strength and the diamond will break, losing its value." Shinobu explained.
"Yeah, but what does this have to do with anything?" The lanky student remained puzzled.
"It would be wise to re-examine the boulder with this knowledge in mind. Come along now. Time for dinner." The insect hashira concluded.
The dull eye boy opted to eating by himself. Without the foot traffic of employees or patients, his steps echoed as he ventured to the hospital room nearest to Shinobu's office.
"Hi, Haruno-san." Yuki got himself comfortable on a chair and began munching on his bowl of chicken katsu and steamed rice.
"I told Miss Shinobu I wasn't feeling well and called it a night. It's not a complete lie, I wanted to spend time with my closest friend." The former heir giggled. His smiled faded after placing his hand on top of his head servant's. The skin was cold to the touch. Before freaking out, Yuki spotted the window opened and closed it.
"Good thing we caught that now than never. Um, getting back on track: I need your help. Miss Shinobu and I held a sparring session earlier and… I did a good job keeping up this time. Once the session ended, she went on about jewelry. It caught me off guard because as far as I know, the only accessory she uses is her hairpin. I wish I knew what the purpose behind that talk was. Do you think she wanted jewelry? Surely, she can afford the finest set money can buy. Then again, between us, I think we're wealthier than the entire demon slayer corps. What do you think?" He turned his attention to Haruno. The head servant remained lifeless, save for the steady rhythmic pattern of his breathing.
"Imagine mom supporting the demon slayer corps and funding them? Who am I kidding? She'd never support anything that clings to the past. As I was saying earlier, Miss Shinobu then talked about the process of carving diamonds. I'm aware the process is about finding that sweet spot and… drilling…" Yuki gasped mid-sentence. "I get it now!" He kneeled down to give his head servant a small hug and jotted down his realization on a flashcard before finishing his meal and slept on the bed next to Haruno. Akin to the days prior of owning his own room.
Three days had passed since New Year's, the sun rose by 8 am and the terrain was cloaked with a sheet of snow. The instant breakfast had concluded, Yuki rushed outside to his training spot. Undeterred by the freezing temperatures, he reduced his workout to only jogging while carrying logs on his back. Feeling warmed up for the day, he focused on his sword practice for a moment. After a quick warm up with his swords, the former noble winced as he wrapped bandages on his left hand.
"Ow. I'm just lucky this wasn't my good hand." Yuki muttered. He noticed Shinobu's crow using his peripheral and walked up to it.
"Please tell master I'm ready. He spoke softly and watched it flew towards the butterfly mansion before wandering within the area, refusing to sit still.
"Ohayo, Subachi-kun. It's great seeing my students so determined to complete their training." The Insect hashira appeared before him.
"O…Ohayo, Kocho-sama. I see you got my message." He waved at her.
"Indeed. I hope you don't mind an extra pair of eyes spectating." Shinobu giggled. The lanky teen tilted his head in confusion until he noticed the Water Hashira.
"Oh. Hi, Tomioka-san. I didn't think you took a liking to me." He selected his words carefully.
"Kocho-chan caught me at the right time. I hope you don't disappoint, tsuguko-kun." Giyu said dismissively.
"Ah, that makes more sense." He bowed at the blue-eyed recluse, shifting his attention to the violet eyed woman.
"Master, I'm ready." The dull eye boy spoke aloud, his gaze filled with determination. With one nod, he walked towards a tree. Standing right in front of the tree, Yuki closed his eyes, placed his right hand on the wood and took a deep breath, followed up with a silent prayer.
"Amen"
Once the eyes opened, Yuki leaped towards the tree, stared down at the boulder and caught a grip before lunging forward with his right sword. He spun his body while keeping his posture, maintaining his speed and power. Shinobu's became concerned over her student. Giyu's face remained stoic. Suddenly, the hashira's witnessed Yuki hurling himself outside the boulder unscathed. Only to find him draw his left sword and spins himself in the air after one giant step. When the dust settled, laid a display of Yuki Subachi's power: a giant boulder pierced perpendicularly. Shinobu nodded in approval.
"Not bad, kid." Giyu muttered. 'Perhaps he can be worthy rival for Kamado-kun.'
"I did it… I… drilled…the diamond…" The former heir's whispered. His body collapsed on the spot, the final memory being the wisteria doctor rushing to his aid.
"Where am I?" The dull eye boy murmured, steadily regaining his conciseness.
"At ease. We've returned to the butterfly mansion." The Insect hashira said, concealing her worries.
"Did I pass your test?" He wondered.
"You did. However, your body has taken a huge toll from this trial. Nearly every bit of you is covered in bruises. It's a miracle you tolerated this amount of pain up until now. You need to be more careful. Our bodies can only endure so much pain and stress. However, I'm happy you picked up my hint last month. She nodded in approval.
"It took me a minute to figure it out. Even longer to perfect spinning in the air." He quipped.
"Good. Your resilience is admirable. This is your reward for completing my training" She stroked his hair. The Wisteria doctor giggled and waved at the door, allowing the butterfly girls and Giyu to enter. The dull eye boy frantically regained his composure.
"Kanao, please stand next to Subachi-kun." Shinobu's professional tone kicked in. The senior tsuguko did as she was told while everyone else sat around.
"Thank you. Now that you both have completed your training, the final step needed to become true demon slayers is to pass the final selection. I have no doubt you two can survive the task before you. It's post selection we must discuss." She paused, waiting for her student full attention and silence from the room.
"You'll be on call for any assignment. Sometimes you'll work in groups and other times it'll be alone. To climb the ranks, you'll need to a specific number of demons. Killing 50 of them or any of the twelve moons will qualify you to become a hashira. There is however a third way to climb the ranks, we call it the Faraway Missions. With the approval of a hashira and head of the Ubuyashiki clan, a demon slayer's assignments can expand not just this region, but beyond the mainland, even to other countries."
"Wow, we could theoretically become a hashira in no time. That's amazing" Yuki exclaimed.
Shinobu's turned to Giyuu and cleared her throat, indicating she like for him to elaborate.
"The conditions are straightforward. If you can slay the demon and cooperate with the locals to build a Wisteria home, said member will rank up automatically.
"What is the catch, Tomioka-sama?" Kanao asked.
Astute as always, Tsuyuri-chan. If a demon slayer is killed or imprisoned during these missions, you'll cease to exist in our eyes." The water hashira responded.
Everyone turned pale and were in a state of shock. This high-risk, high-reward was extreme. If successful, a demon slayer could earn recognition and status easily. Yet, the slightest error could result with their existence wiped out in an instant.
"I'm telling you all this because tsugukos are the prime candidates for these missions. I have faith in my students. Any question?" Shinobu asked.
"How do we decide who goes first for the final selection?" Aoi-chan stated.
Yuki looked at Kanao, casually flipping her coin. He snatched the coin mid-air, holding it firmly in his hand.
"We'll let fate decide. Heads for me! Tails for Tsuyuri-chan!" Yuki announced, flipping the coin, everyone holding their breath.
Welcome to a new segment of Taisho era secrets. Here is today's secret: Miss Shinobu's crow's name is En. She'd nag me every time I got hurt or messed up my forms. However, once I whistled Christmas songs, that was when En and I started getting along. Turns out En is interested in Western culture too. In fact, just before Shinobu and Giyu arrived, she told me about this new type of cookie in America called Oreo's. I'm dying to know how it compares to chocolate chip cookies. Speaking of arriving, hi En!" Yuki waved with one arm and held the other arm out to allow the crow to perch. The bird then whispers in his ear
"She said, next time on chapter 17: Regardless of whom enters the selection first, these next two weeks will be gloomy. We must look out for one another. Oh, I never thought of it like that. Until next time, bye!" Yuki waved again while the crow cawed.
WanderingTree here,
Technically speaking, this took the longest to complete; three months. The only reason it took so long was because I wrote the first section in November. I couldn't help myself but to write a bit. I did enjoy the holidays at the end of last year. I hope everyone has been well. What shocks me the most is not only did people gave this story a glance, but some of you fave and followed this story during this break. It really thankful you're all interested in the direction of this story. I hope my OC is beginning to warm up to you all. If not, that's understandable. After all, Tanjiro is the main character in Demon Slayer yet i haven't found anyone who says he's their number one favorite.
I have to say, after writing 10k words these last few chapters, it feels weird writing only 6k words again. With that said, this is us transitioning to the main events of Demon Slayer, and I'm excited. Aside from correlating with canon events, i'm excited to integrate original ideas, especially the Faraway Missions. This is something I wish the original story did, explored more within the Taisho era. The world building and lore we were given is good, but it would've been better we got to see Tanjiro travel to the Hokkaido region or Shikoku for instance. This is what I hope to deliver with my concept.
My personal goal is to Yuki's and Shinobu's relationship to come to fruition this year, before the first Infinity Castle movie comes out. Speaking of goals, now that the new year has started, It's time to get back to job hunting. I got a couple leads, we'll see how that goes.
Before I wish you all a good day, allow me to give a shoutout to those who followed before during my time off: Clear-blood, I77usion, and Naveyl.
Also, shoutout to Corvus no Genmu for following my first fanfic. Even though that story has been completed a little over a year ago.